For reviews of individual concerts please look under "Performances" or click here and choose the concert.

County music - Maidstone Symphony Orchestra

Extract from "The Stage"

The Maidstone Symphony Orchestra boasts talented musicians from a range of different careers, from lawyers to taxi drivers. Susan Elkin finds out how the 94-year-old company pulls adoring audiences in their hundreds ... No wonder the sound and musicality are so outstanding. It would be a great loss if MSO was prevented by mere money from surging ahead to triumphant centenary celebrations in five years’ time.

To read the full review click here

Local Reviews

"The spontaneous outburst of cheering at the end showed what the audience felt." - Kent Messenger.

"Hats off to conductor Brian Wright and the Maidstone Symphony Orchestra for hauling us into the 20th century musical scene before the century is a memory." - The Courier.

"The passion and commitment of the orchestra was unquestionable (Mahler's 9th Symphony) ... the overall effect was both moving and draining for audience and orchestra alike, and this is how this wonderful music should be." - The Courier.

"The orchestra played with enormous assurance and under Brian Wright's inspired conducting, gave a sparkling performance." - The Courier.

"Rapport between soloist, orchestra and conductor was notably good in this totally engaging performance." - The Courier.

"In works like this (Shostakovich's 1st Symphony) MSO is at its best, for it is a bold, confident, orchestra that lives life to the fullest." - The Courier.

"Not many provincial orchestras would have the courage to tackle this work (Mahler's 5th Symphony), still less have the ability to make such a success of it" - The Courier.

"MSO is a jewel in Kent's musical crown ... there is something more than professional about an MSO concert" - Kent Messenger.